Marengo Mother about to Give Birth to Twins with One Heart – “One Heart, Two Souls”

Amanda

On her blog, entitled “Faith & Hope & Love,” Amanda, a mother-to-be from Marengo, Illinois, says she is in the hospital.

Dr. Mahmoud Ismail, who has delivered over 10,000 babies will soon perform a caesarean section, she writes from her University of Chicago Medical Center hospital room next to the helicopter pad.

“He knows that I am very young and want more children in the future,” the Christian writes. “It’s so nice to know that I will be in very good hands, and I trust in him a lot.”

What makes this pregnancy different is that Amanda is carrying co-joined twin girls.  And they will be prematurely delivered at 34-36 weeks.

In her September first article Amanda praises her nurses.

“Through tears and laughter my room is always full of emotion. My nurses keep assuring me I’m doing the best I can and I’m going to be a great mom. They [are] right there to guide you through everything and anything.

“Everyone is real compassionate to me and I just want to say thanks to all the nurses who are taking care of me on my stay.”

Amanda also writes two other blogs:

She has worked at the South Elgin Hair Cuttery.  She started her medical leave on June 3rd.

On her Facebook page former customer Cristina Lerma wrote,

“I miss you Amanda I read your pages everyday. You are an inspiration for me. You are such a strong woman and no matter what anybody said, you are doing the right thing. I will keep you and your beautiful babies in my prayers everyday. Your are doing a great job.”

The twins at 26 weeks.

The co-joined twins at 26 weeks.

This is how Amanda describes her blog about her children:

This is a fundraiser for my conjoined twins that share one heart.

We appreciate everyone who has stood by us and have given their thoughts and prayers to my beautiful daughters Faith and Hope.

We want to thank you in advance for donating.

It has to cost a lot of money for a delivery like this.

The ultrasound that she had today worried her.

They were measuring from shoulder to shoulder to see how big the incision would have to be.

She remembered having been told that if the required cut were to be more than 15 centimeters that would be a more difficult surgery.

To relieve her anxiety, Amanda prayed the Rosary.

“All I wanted was my my fiancé by my side,” she wrote

Seven-months pregnant

“He is so calm and collective in stressful situations unlike me. He is my other half and without him I feel so alone. We are going through these times together, as one and it is making us so much closer as a couple. I was so happy when I saw him walk into my room, my spirits were lifted and my nerves disappeared.”

She concludes today’s post by writing,

“I know God is helping me through this but so is all the positive people on my Facebook.

“Friends and family, even people I don’t even know are helping me so much.

“Some even write me to tell me how courageous I am.

“Some people say they are praying for us.

“All the support is helping me get through the last stretch before they are born.

“It’s nice to know that people do care a lot about you and your children.

“Thank you again everyone for letting my story and my children get into your lives, I love knowing that these people are here for me and I’m glad I’m friends with everyone of them. 🙂 ”

You can comment under an article on Amanda’s blog or email her at aschulten@ymail.com.

She includes the email address in a message to others having similar pregnancies: aschulten@ymail.com.

“If you know anyone in need of advice or is going through a similar scenario I would like to help as much as I possibly can. Or if you would like to leave a thought or pray to my girls or myself please email me at: aschulten@ymail.com .”

This is on Amanda's blog.

Talk about walking the walk!

In an August 26th post, she wrote,

“I know God is in control but I just want everything to turn out perfect. I love my babies too much. I am so excited finally knowing that the time to meet them is finally going to be here.

“Also I got in touch with a photographer to be there when the girl’s are born. Since the survival rates are low for conjoined twins sharing only one heart, we wanted our moments with Faith and Hope documented and also we won’t have to worry about taking pictures of them. Plus I don’t think I will never put them down, I will be wanting to hold them.”

She has contacted a company consisting entirely of voluntary professional photographers called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.

On August 25th, Amanda wrote a piece on her pro-life views. It includes a poem from an unborn baby.

Faith is seen smiling.Hope sleeping.

Hope sleeping.

Earlier she wrote about praying about “all the other babies that have gone to heaven”:

“I celebrated by lighting two candles and praying for my babies and all the other babies that have gone to heaven, soon to be born twins, and the ones still living. It was a very emotional day for me, for one I’m pregnant and two the day is all about my children. I can’t wait to hold my girls in my arms and say I love you!

"Look at all that hair!" writes hairdresser Mom Amanda under this sonogram.

“It was such a bitter sweet day remembering all the babies who didn’t make it and rejoicing over the ones that did.  I spent most of my day thinking about my girls and wondering what their thinking about.”

The first post shows Amanda’s two daughters.

“ONE HEART TWO SOULS” is one of the descriptions Amanda provides of her daughters.

The final photo posted emphasizes the girls’ hair.

= = = = =
Thanks to John O’Neill for pointing me to Amanda’s blog.


Comments

Marengo Mother about to Give Birth to Twins with One Heart – “One Heart, Two Souls” — 10 Comments

  1. @ Bill S – Wow?! Right or wrong, How about some compassion?

    James 4:12 – “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

  2. We are waiting until after the girls are born. Have not set a date yet, due to not knowing what we be happening in the future. We have been through a lot and put all our focus on our children and not our selves at the moment.

  3. Bill, I think judgmental people are partially to blame for the rates of abortion in this country. The first thought that goes through many women’s heads when getting a positive on a pregnancy test is “what will everyone think?”

    This young woman trusted God and thought of herself last, her unborn children first.

    Keep casting stones, and I’m glad your life has gone perfectly as planned, Bill. Kudos to you.

  4. Amanda, you are such a beautiful mom and your daughters will love you for your sacrifice on their behalf. I see how you are loving them already and my prayers are with you all.

  5. Hello Amanda,
    I met you at your RCIA reception after you became Catholic. I am Lizzie’s mom (Joanna’s friend). You and your beautiful girls are in my prayers, and you are truly living out your faith. What a beautiful testimony you are and your daughters already know how much you love them. Call or e-mail if there’s anything you need. Our prayers are with you and there are many more from the catholic homeschool group.
    God Bless!
    Sandy

  6. This young mother is very selfish and misguided. I do not buy for a moment that she decided to keep these babies because of her “Catholic Faith.” Where was her Catholic faith when she had premarital sex? It seems she didn’t even fornicate with a boyfriend but probably some casual partner as there isn’t any mention of a father. Too bad society has perverted young people to the extent that they have such aspirations of being on reality television for irresponsible and irreverant behavior. Someone who has values wouldn’t expect the rest of us to pay for one health baby let alone two, tragically ill children.

    People who know and like this woman, who may be a sweet person otherwise, need to come to grips with how this adversely affects us all, it costs money and resources that are becoming more and more scarce.

  7. Just looking at Amanda’s blog again and thinking how childish and unrealistic this woman is. Clearly she’d be poorly equipped to handle the needs of a healthy child. Her proposition that it’s some kind of mean that decides that only “normal” children should survive reflects she doesn’t realize life is not fair and with her kids we aren’t talking about one simple issue like a learning problem or physical ailment-these children tragically will live their existance with physical, mental, psychological, cognitive and social problems that most of us (mercifully) cannot even imagine. This will be compounded by their mother’s ignorance and arrogance. I don’t think she has to worry about alot of people copying her original writings without her permission.

  8. @Holly,

    Did you know that Mary, Jesus’ mother was NOT officiallly married when she gave birth to our Saviour?

    Yes, she was betrothed, but not married.

    God chooses who he will give children to, healthy or not.

    And He will take them home if and when He so chooses.

    Maybe if MORE people would stop thinking of the all mighty dollar and focus on the blessings that SPECIAL children bring, just MAYBE this world would be a little better.

    I am the mother of a special needs child. And she has touched MORE lives in her short little life than YOU will ever in many lifetimes!

  9. Wow ! Ik I’m like two years late hopefully someone reads this .

    But today I found out that I was pregnant with conjoined twins .

    And not I am not selfish for not aborting them .

    Because nobody deserves to be aborted .

    And that’s not from a religious beliefs I’m not catholic .

    I’m Lutheran .

    And I simply told the doctor I wanted to watch my babies grow and see how my babies will do .

    I will not kill babies just because they might die anyway !

    That’s like saying we should kill you because your going to die anyway ! And I have seen conjoined twins live their lives perfectly happy and normal !

    So unless you know what it’s like , STFU !

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